#THE WORKING JOURNALISTS (FIXATION OF RATES OF WAGES) ACT, 1958 
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##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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SECTIONS 
1. Short title. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Constitution of Committee. 
4. Functions of Committee. 
5. Powers of Committee. 
6. Power of Central Government to enforce recommendations of Committee. 
7. Working journalists entitled to wages at rates not less than those specified in the order. 
8. [Omitted.] 
9. Recovery of money due to working journalists. 
10. Authentication of orders, letters, etc., of the Committee. 
11. Effect of Act on Working Journalists Act, etc. 
12. Vacancies, etc., not to invalidate proceedings of Committee. 
12A. Penalty. 
13. Power to make rules. 
14. [Repealed]. 



#THE WORKING JOURNALISTS (FIXATION OF RATES OF WAGES) ACT, 1958 

##ACT NO. 29 OF 1958 

[16th September, 1958.] 

An Act  to  provide  for  the  fixation  of  rates  of  wages  in  respect  of  working  journalists  and  for 
  matters connected therewith. 

  BE it enacted by Parliament in the Ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:― 

1. **Short title.**―This  Act  may  be  called  the  Working  Journalists  (Fixation  of  Rates  of  Wages) 
Act, 1958. 

2. **Definitions.**―In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,― 

  (a) “Committee” means the Committee constituted under section 3; 

  (b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

  (c) “Wage  Board”  means  the  Wage  Board  constituted  under  the  Working  Journalists  Act  by 
notification  No.  S.R.O.  1075  of  the  Government  of  India  in  the  Ministry  of  Labour,  dated  the  2nd 
May, 1956; 

  (d) “Wage Board decision” means the decisions of the Wage Board published in  the Gazette of 
India Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, dated the 11th May, 1957; 

  (e) “Wages” means wages as defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947); 

  (f)  “Working  Journalists  Act”  means  the  Working  Journalists  (Conditions  of  Service)  and 
Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 (45 of 1955); 

  (g) words  and  expressions  used  but  not  defined  in  this  Act,  and  defined  in  the  Working 
Journalists Act, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in that Act. 

3. **Constitution of Committee.**―(1) For the purpose of enabling the Central Government to fix rates 
of wages in respect of working journalists in the light of the Judgment of the Supreme Court, dated the 
19th  day  of  March,  1958,  relating  to  the  Wage  Board  decision,  and  in  the  light  of  all  other  relevant 
circumstances,  the  Central  Government  shall,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  constitute  a 
Committee consisting of the following persons, namely:― 

  (i) an  officer  of  the  Ministry  of  Law  not  below  the  rank  of  Joint  Secretary,  nominated  by  the 
Central Government, who shall be the Chairman of the Committee, 

  (ii) three persons nominated by the Central Government from among the officers of each of  the 
Ministries of Home Affairs, Labour and Employment and Information and Broadcasting, 

  (iii) a chartered accountant nominated by the Central Government. 

(2) If for any reason a vacancy (other than a vacancy by reason of temporary absence) occurs in the 
office  of  the  Chairman  or  any  other  member  of  the  Committee,  the  Central  Government  may  appoint 
another person in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) to fill the vacancy, and the inquiry 
before the Committee may be continued from the stage which had been reached when the vacancy arose. 

(3) The  Central  Government  may  appoint  a  Secretary  to  the  Committee,  and  may  also  provide  the 
Committee with such other staff as may be necessary. 

(4) The Secretary shall perform such functions of a ministerial or other nature as the Committee or the 
Chairman thereof may assign or delegate to him. 

4. **Functions of Committee.**―(1)  The  Committee  shall,  by  notice  published  in  such  manner  as  it 
thinks fit, call upon newspaper establishments and working journalists and other persons interested in the 
Wage  Board  decision  to  make  such  representations  as  they  may  think  fit  as  respects  the  Wage  Board 
decision and the rates of wages which may be fixed under this Act in respect of working journalists. 

(2) Every such representation shall be in writing and shall be made within such period not exceeding 
thirty days, as the Committee may specify in the notice, and shall state— 

  (a) the specific grounds of objection, if any, to the Wage Board decision, 

  (b) the rates of wages which, in the opinion of the person making the  representation, would be 
reasonable,  having  regard  to  the  capacity  of  the  employer  to  pay  the  same  or  to  any  other 
circumstance, whichever may seem relevant to the person making the representation in relation to his 
representation, 

  (c) the  alterations  or  modifications,  if  any,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  the  person  making  the 
representation, should be made in the Wage Board decision and the reasons therefor. 

(3) The Committee shall take into account the representations aforesaid, if any, and after examining 
the materials placed before the Wage Board and such further materials as have since been obtained by or 
made  available  to  it  under  this  Act,  make  such  recommendations,  as  it  thinks  fit,  to  the  Central 
Government  for  the  fixation  of  rates  of  wages  in  respect  of  working  journalists,  whether  by  way  of 
modification  or  otherwise,  of  the  Wage  Board  decision;  and  any  such  recommendation  may  specify, 
whether prospectively or retropectively, the date from which the rates of wages should take effect. 

(4) In making any recommendations to the Central Government, the Committee shall have regard to 
all the matters set out in sub-section (1) of section 9 of the Working Journalists Act. 

(5) The  Committee  may,  if  it  thinks  fit,  take  up  for  consideration  separately  groups  or  classes  of 
newspaper establishments, whether on the basis of regional classification or on any other basis, and make 
recommendations from time to time in regard to each such group or class. 

5. **Powers of Committee.**―(1) Subject to the provisions contained in sub-section (2), the Committee 
may  exercise  all  or  any  of  the  powers  which  an  industrial  tribunal,  constituted  under  the  Industrial 
Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947), exercises for the adjudication of an industrial dispute referred to it and 
shall, subject to the provisions contained in this Act and the rules, if any, made thereunder, have power to 
regulate its own procedure. 

(2) Any  representations  made  to  the  Committee  and  any  documents  furnished  to  it  by  way  of 
evidence,  shall  be  open  to  inspection  on  payment  of  such  fee  as  may  be  prescribed,  by  any  person 
interested in the matter. 

(3) If  in  the  course  of  any  inquiry  it  appears  to  the  Committee  that  it  is  necessary  to  examine  any 
accounts  or  documents  or  obtain  any  statements  from  any  person,  the  Committee  may  authorise  any 
officer of the Central Government (hereinafter referred to as the authorised officer) in that behalf; and the 
authorised  officer  shall,  subject  to  the  directions  of  the  Committee,  if  any,  examine  the  accounts  or 
documents or obtain the statements from the person. 

(4) The authorised officer may, subject to the directions of the Committee, if any, exercise all or any 
of  the  powers  which  an  industrial  tribunal  may  exercise  under  sub-section  (2)  or  sub-section  (3)  of 
section 11 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947). 

(5) Nothing in sub-section (1) of section 54 of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922 (11 of 1922), or in 
any corresponding provision in any other law for the time being in force relating to the levy of any tax 
shall  apply  to  the  disclosure  of  any  of  the  particulars  referred  to  therein  in  any  report  made  to  the 
Committee by an authorised officer. 

(6) Any information obtained by an authorised officer in the exercise of any of his powers and any 
report made by him shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, be treated as confidential, but 
nothing in this sub-section shall apply to the disclosure of any such information or report to the Central 
Government or to a court in relation to any matter concerning the execution of this Act. 

(7) The authorised officer shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of 
the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860). 

6. **Power of Central Government to enforce recommendations of Committee.**―(1)  As  soon  as 
may be, after the receipt of the recommendations of the Committee, the Central Government shall make 
an order in terms of the recommendations or subject to such modifications, if any, as  it thinks fit, being 
modifications which, in the opinion of the Central Government, do not effect important alterations in the 
character of the recommendations. 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Central Government may, if it thinks 
fit,― 

  (a) make  such  modifications  in  the  recommendations,  not  being  modifications  of  the  nature 
referred to in sub-section (1),as it thinks fit: 

  Provided that before making any such modifications, the Central Government shall cause notice 
to be given to all persons likely to be affected thereby in such manner as may be prescribed, and shall 
take into account any representations which they may make in this behalf in writing, or 

  (b) refer  the  recommendations  or  any  part  thereof to the  Committee,  in  which  case  the  Central 
Government  shall  consider  its  further  recommendations  and  make  an  order  either  in  terms  of  the 
recommendations or with such modifications of the nature referred to in sub-section (1) as it thinks 
fit. 

(3) Every order made by the Central Government shall be published in the Official Gazette together 
with the recommendations of the Committee relating to the order, and the order shall come into operation 
on the date of publication or on such date, whether prospectively or retrospectively, as may be specified 
in the order. 

7. **Working  journalists  entitled  to  wages  at  rates  not  less  than  those  specified  in  the 
order.**―Subject to the provisions contained in section 11, on the coming into operation of an order of the 
Central Government, every working journalist shall be entitled to be paid by his employer wages at a rate 
which shall in no case be less than the rate of wages specified in the order. 

8. *[Review of order of Central Government.]―Omitted by the Working Journalists (Amendment) Act,* 
1962 (65 of 1962), s. 10 (w.e.f. 15-1-1963.). 

9. **Recovery of money due to working journalists.**―(1) Where any amount is due under this Act to 
a working journalist from an employer, the working journalist himself, or any other person authorised 
by him in writing in this behalf or in the case of the death of the working journalist, any member of his 
family may, without  prejudice  to  any  other  mode  of  recovery,  make  an  application  to  the  State 
Government for the recovery of the money due to him, and if the State Government, or such authority as 
the  State  Government  may  specify  in  this  behalf,  is  satisfied  that  any  money  is  so  due,  it  shall  issue  a 
certificate for that amount to the Collector, and the Collector shall proceed to recover that amount in the 
same manner as an arrear of land revenue. 

(2)  If  any  question  arises  as  to  the  amount  due  under  this  Act  to  a  working  journalist  from  his 
employer, the State Government may, on its own motion or upon application made to it, refer the question 
to any Labour Court constituted by it under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947) or under any 
corresponding law relating to investigation and settlement of industrial disputes in force in  the State and 
the said Act or law shall have effect in relation to the Labour Court as if the question so referred were a 
matter referred to the Labour Court for adjudication under that Act or law. 

(3) The decision of the Labour Court shall be forwarded by it to the State Government which made 
the reference, and any amount found due by the Labour Court may be recovered in the manner provided 
in sub-section (1). 

10. **Authentication of orders, letters, etc., of the Committee.**―All notices, letters, authorisations, 
orders or other documents to be issued or made by the Committee under this Act may be authenticated by 
the Chairman or the Secretary thereof or any other officer authorised by the Committee in this behalf and 
any notice, letter, authorisation, order or other document so authenticated shall be presumed to have been 
duly issued or made by the Committee. 

11. **Effect of Act on Working Journalists Act, etc.**―(1) Sections 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13  of  the 
Working Journalists Act shall have no effect in relation to the Committee. 

(2) The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith in the 
terms of any award, agreement or contract of service, whether made before or after the commencement of 
this Act: 

  Provided  that  where  under  any  such  award,  agreement,  contract  of  service  or  otherwise,  a  working 
journalist is entitled to benefits in respect of any matter which are more favourable to him than those to 
which he would be entitled under this Act, the working journalist shall continue to be entitled to the more 
favourable benefits in respect of that matter, notwithstanding that he receives benefits in respect of other 
matters under this Act. 

(3) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to preclude any working journalist from entering 
into any agreement with an employer for granting him rights or privileges in respect of any matter which 
are more favourable to him than those to which he would be entitled under this Act. 

12. **Vacancies, etc., not to invalidate proceedings of Committee.**―No act  or  proceeding  of  the 
Committee shall be invalid merely by reason of the existence of any vacancy among its members or any 
defect in the constitution thereof. 

12A. **Penalty.**―(1) Any employer who contravenes the provisions of section 7 shall be punishable 
with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees. 

(2) Whoever, having been convicted of any offence under sub-section (1), is again convicted of an 
offence under that sub-section, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees. 

(3) Where an offence has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the offence 
was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of 
the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be 
proceeded against and punished accordingly: 

  Provided  that  nothing  contained  in  this  sub-section  shall  render  any  such  person  liable  to  any 
punishment provided in this section if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or 
that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence. 

(4) Notwithstanding  anything  contained in  sub-section  (3),  where  an  offence under this  section  has 
been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or 
connivance of, or that the commission of the offence is attributable, to any gross negligence on the part of 
any  director,  manager,  secretary  or  other  officer  of  the  company,  such  director,  manager,  secretary  or 
other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of such offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against 
and punished accordingly. 

(5) For the purposes of this section,― 

  (a) “company” means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; 
and 

  (b) “director” in relation to a firm means a partner in the firm. 

13. **Power to make rules.**―(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 
make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2)  In  particular,  and  without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing  power,  such  rules  may 
provide for— 

  (a) the manner in which notices under this Act may be published; 

  (b) the procedure to be followed by the Committee in the exercise of its powers under this Act; 

  (c) the powers and functions of the Committee which may be delegated to any of its members; 

  (d) the fees to be paid for inspection of documents furnished to the Committee. 

[^1][(3) Every rule made under this Act, shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each 
House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in 
one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification 
in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only 
in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or 
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.] 

14. *[Repeal  and  saving.].―Rep.  by  the  Repealing  and  Amending  Act,*  1960  (58  of  1960),  s.  2  *and 
the First Schedule (w.e.f.* 26-12-1960). 

[^1]. Ins. by Act 4 of 1986, s. 2 and the Schedule (w.e.f. 15-5-1986).